Exterior Use

UltraBoard Mount is not recommended for exterior use. The paper facers of these panels will not withstand extended exposure to moisture.

Facer Surfaces

UltraBoard Mount panels have poly coated Kraft paper facers. The polyethylene coated paper makes an exceptional surface for painting and silk-screening; vinyl lettering can be removed without destroying the panel surface.

Cutting

Circular Saws
UltraBoard Mount can be cut with circular saw blades specifically designed for cutting paper faced foam boards. General Saw Corporation, 1-800-772-3691, makes a blade (PLF series) that will produce excellent results. Other blade manufacturers make thin-rimmed high speed carbide-tipped plastic cutting blades (72-80 25-degree alternating teeth on a 10” dia. blade). Band saws with similar tooth design can be used.

Hand Cutting
UltraBoard Mount can be cut by hand with mat knives, utility knives and razor blades. The key to getting a smooth, clean cut with a knife or razor is to use a very sharp, thin blade held at as low an angle as possible in relationship to the board. This reduces friction and allows the foam to slice rather than tear. It may be more practical to make the cut in more than one pass, especially if the board being cut is thicker than 1/2”.

Laminating or Gluing

No special surface preparation is required when gluing to the face of UltraBoard Mount. The surface should be kept clean and free of any oil-based contaminates. Although many adhesives will work on UltraBoard Mount, care should be taken in choosing an adhesive for its intended use. Always test the adhesive before a production run and always follow the adhesive manufacturers instructions.

Painting

UltraBoard Mount panels need no special preparation before painting. For best results the surface should be clean and free of any contaminates. This is best achieved by simply wiping the surface with a dry cloth. UltraBoard Mount can be painted with poster colors, acrylic paints, tempera, India ink and latex-based pigments. Caution should be taken when using oil based or solvent base systems, not to allow the paint to come in contact with the polystyrene core. These types of paints are likely to attack and deteriorate the foam core. The core may be required to be coated with a water based primer before solvent based paints can be used on the core.

Printing

UltraBoard Mount panels are rigid, lightweight and easy to handle. The facers accept most printing inks well. Caution should be taken with any ink. Always test ink on UltraBoard Mount prior to production run. Allow 24-48 hours after test printing to evaluate the suitability of the ink for the intended application. Follow all of the ink manufacturers instructions.

For best results in silk screening UltraBoard Mount panels, it is recommended the panels be cleaned to avoid the clogging of screens. This can be accomplished by wiping the panel with a tacky cloth prior to printing.

Drying
Drying by oxidation and evaporation is recommended. Allow the freshly painted panels to dry the length of time suggested by the particular paint manufacturer. Forced drying by hot air ovens is not recommended.

Ultraviolet Inks
U.V. inks are not recommended for use with UltraBoard Mount.

Screenprinting Inks
The following inks have shown excellent results with UltraBoard Mount.

  • Ink Designs, Inc.
    • Flat Poster Ink (F.P. Series)
    • Hydra Print Ink (H.P. Series)
    • Multi-Purpose (M.P. Series)
    • Poly-Enamel (P.E. Series)
    • Value-Poster (V.P. Series)
  • Ink Designs International
    • Naz-Dar / KC
    • Echo Print (E.O. Series)
    • 7500 Gloss Poster Ink
    • Satin Poster (S.P. Series)

Mounting

UltraBoard Mount was specifically designed with photo mounter’s needs in mind. The combination of UltraBoard Mount’s high density core and thick poly-coated surface results in a warp free board that will maintain its exceptionally smooth surface finish after the photo mounting process is completed. Cold mounting, dry mounting and spray adhesives work well on UltraBoard Mount. To prevent any tendency of bowing when mounting, it may be necessary to apply a counter-mount of comparable strength on the backside. Always test adhesives on UltraBoard Mount prior to a production run and always follow the manufacturers instructions.

Dry Mounting
When dry mounting on UltraBoard Mount, the temperature of the press should follow the adhesive manufacturer’s directions. Generally, the lower recommended temperatures work best. If possible, keep temperatures below 200°F. and residence time less than one minute. It may be necessary to pre-heat the panel before mounting to prevent any tendency of bowing.

Pressure Sensitive Mounting
Pressure sensitive adhesives, depending on the product used, may be used with or without press equipment. The following pressure sensitive films have shown excellent results when used on UltraBoard Mount.

  • GBC (800) 723-4000
    • Artic Dura Mount
    • Artic Advance Mount
  • Seal (800) 966-4554
    • Print Mount Ultra
    • Print Mount One
    • Print Mount Plus
    • Optimount
  • Durotech Corp. (800) 827-1379
    • Duromount E
    • Duromount W
    • Duromount U
    • Duromount R
  • Drytac (888) 622-3236
    • Media Tac
    • Rubber Tac
    • Sure Tac
    • Media Tac White
  • Quality Mounting (800) 552-9427
    • Mista Bond #8387M-96-44

Preventing Bowing

Preventing Bowing
Bowing occurs when different conditions exist on opposite sides of the foam core board including temperature and coating applications. Potential for bowing is also much higher in thinner boards at larger sizes such as 4’ x 8’ sheets. Upon unpacking, panels that display bowing may be corrected by simply inverting the panel on a flat surface for up to 24 hours, allowing bowing to dissipate.

To insure maximum flatness in installation environments, it is ideal to utilize a thicker panel. If using a thinner panel, wood frames or extruded aluminum channels may be affixed to the sheet perimeters to maintain even tensioning.

If panels have a coating applied to more than 50% of one side’s surface area, ideally the coating is equally applied to the opposite panel side to achieve equal surface tensioning, thus avoiding potential bowing.